The News From Israel

01.18.13

Bibi Reassures Settlers Ahead Of Vote

"The days of the bulldozers uprooting Jews is behind us, not ahead of us."
--Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells Maariv he has no plans of evacuating settlers from the West Bank in the next four years.

Right-wing Israeli group admits using PIs to spy on leftist NGOs - Revelation made during libel trial filed by Im Tirtzu against eight left-wing activists who established a Facebook page calling the organization fascist. (Haaretz+)

State to members of Kibbutz Misgav Am: Part of the Kibbutz is in Lebanese territory - A simple request to build new apartments in land within the kibbutz near the border with Lebanon was given a surprising answer from the Interior Ministry: You need to first withdraw to Israeli territory "and to correct the Blue Line so that you are not passing the State's borders." Now the kibbutz is preparing an enormous suit against the state. (Maariv, p. 1)

Three years after humiliating the ambassador: Danny Ayalon says it's possible to apologize to Turkey - It is possible to warm the relations with Turkey through an apology, said Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon this week to the Turkish paper, Hurriyet. He said Israel could adopt the text of the apology the US gave to Pakistan after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a NATO bombing in 2011. "The text must be very clear, so that everyone who reads it understands (it is an apology). [Note - Former FM Lieberman said the same thing a few months back - OH] (Maariv, p. 5)

Israel Antiquities Authority brings Mandate Palestine into the digital era - The first stage of digitizing the authority's archives has been completed: More than 36,000 documents have been scanned and made accessible to the public. (Haaretz+)

Bulgaria briefs Israel, EU on Burgas bombing probe progress - Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov pays a surprise visit to Israel to brief leaders on probe into last July’s bombing. Publication of Bulgarian investigation's findings could happen as early as next month. (Agencies, Ynet)